1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus to upgrade a driver program of an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device, such as a printer, requires a driver program to operate the device to be installed in a host device, such as a computer. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional installation and operation of a driver using a portable storage medium, such as a diskette and a CD-ROM. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the driver program has been provided via a portable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM and a floppy disk, when a printer is purchased. A user, however, may encounter an inconvenience in a case where the user loses the portable storage medium including the driver program provided at a time when the printer is purchased, or in a case where the user is not skilled in using a computer.
In addition, when functions of the driver program are continuously upgraded, there is a need to update the driver program in the printer. FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional download of a latest driver program through a network and an installation thereof in a computer. However, a portable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM and a floppy disk, which are provided at a time when a printer is purchased, is not upgraded. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 2, even if the driver program is upgraded through a network, a printer cannot be operated by the latest driver in other computers which are not connected to the network. For this reason, there is a limitation in using a printer driver having upgraded capabilities, and this causes a user's dissatisfaction, resulting in a decrease of product reliabilities.
A conventional printer driver is installed as follows.
By using a driver program stored in a portable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM and a floppy disk, which are provided at a time when the printer is purchased, a printer driver is installed on a computer connected to the printer. In addition, if there is a need for an upgrade of the printer driver, a corresponding upgrade website is accessed to upgrade the printer driver using a network. The upgraded driver, however, is installed only in a corresponding computer, and the printer driver thereby must be upgraded again through the network when the printer is moved and connected to another computer. Here, there is a disadvantage that the latest driver cannot be used in a computer which is not connected to the network.